False bottom for counters



Aug. lll, 1942. R. sENTENNE 2,292,667

' FALSE BOTTOM FOR CUNTERS Filed June 4, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1- INVENTORBY j l ATTO N EY5 Aug. 11, 1942.' R. saNTENNE FAIZSYE BOTTOM FORCOUNTERS Filed June 4, 1940 2 'sheets-sheet 2 IGA-MMU] NEY Patented Aug.11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FALSE BOTTOM FOR COUNTERS ReginaldSentenne, Westport, Conn.

Application June 4, 1940, Serial No. 338,822

1 Claim.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No.323,085, filed March 9, 1940.

The present invention relates to display counter accessories andembodies, more specifically, a counter sham or a false bottomconstruction by means of which glass divider partitions may be held indesired positions on the counter.

It is common practice to utilize false bottom or sham sections that areplaced upon counters with glass partitions therebetween in order tosectionalize the counter to facilitate the orderly display of wares. Inorder to secure sections of varying sizes, it has heretofore beennecessary to maintain a considerable stock of false fbottoms of variouswidths. In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed toprovide a false bottom construction which can be adapted to varioussizes, thus avoiding the necessity of maintaining a considerable stockof all sizes on hand.

`The foregoing object is attained by providing a false bottom of suchconstruction that it may be extended or collapsed to enable it to beadjusted to a desired width.

In order that it may be more readily understood, the invention will nowbe described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1is a perspective View, with parts broken away and in section,illustrating the manner in which the counter sham or false bottom isused in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view showing one of the counter shams constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a View in section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 'l is a plan View of the modification shown in Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 6 and '7, respectively, showinga further modification of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. 6, showing another modiiied form ofthe invention.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a further modified form ofthe invention.

Referring to the above drawings, a counter is shown at Ill and isprovided with a horizontal supporting surface II upon which countershams or false bottoms I2 are adapted to be mounted. These shams receiveglass or other partition members I3 therebetween to divide the displaysurface into compartments or sections of suitable size and may extend asfar as desired between adjacent shams. In practice, transversepartitions (not shown) may be provided between the partitions I3 tofurther sectionalize the display surface, but, as this is in accordancewith common practice, it need not be referred to further herein.

In order that the Size of the display sections may be varied as desired,and that the counter shams may be adapted to permit such variation ofsizes, the present invention contemplates the use of shams havingmovable sections. Each section is formed with a side rail and asupporting surface, the rails of one section being shown at I4 and I5,and the respective supporting surfaces at I6 and I1, respectively. Thesupporting surfaces may be suitably secured to the rails and are adaptedto overlap as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In order that the supportingsurfaces may be effectively positioned in overlapping relationship, therails I4 are formed with brackets I8 and the rails I5 with brackets I 9.The supporting surface I1 is received between the supporting surface I6and the brackets I8 and, in this position, is able to support the weightplaced upon the sham during use. Brackets I9 serve to reinforce andstrengthen the supporting surface I1 and it will be observed that therails I4 and I5 may be spaced variably to provide display sections ofpredetermined width. This is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein three displaysections are shown, each of differing width. In the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sections are secured togetheradjustably in a modified manner. The supporting member I6 is providedwith reversely turned iianges 20 at either end thereof, in order thatthe supporting surface I1 may be received between the respective fiangesand the supporting surface I6. This provides a groove at either end ofthe sham and enables the cooperating elements to be seclred togethereffectively in adjustable relations p.

In the rform of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the rails I4 andI'5 and their respective supporting surfaces I6 and I1 are securedtogether adjustably by means of rivets 2| which `pass lthrough slots 22and 23 in the lrespective supporting surfaces I 6 and I 1. The rivetsare secured in such fashion as to permit the rails I4 and I5 to be'adjusted by sliding of the rivet in the slots 22 and 23 so that theshams are maintained in a desired position through the frictionalresistance offered by the rivets 2l.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the slots 22 and 23receive bolts 24 provided with single nuts 25 to enable the shams to besecured effectively ina desired adjusting po'- sition.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 10, the supporting surfacesIB and I1 are secured in a desired position by means of turn buckles 26which are threaded on bolts 21 that pass through the rails I4 and I5.The heads of the bolts 28 are countersunk in recesses 29 formed in therespective rails.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 11, the sham is formed of twosections, again having supporting surfaces I6 and I1, the supportingsurface I6 not only being secured to the rail I4 but also to anintermediate rail 30. The supporting surface I1 is secured to the railI5 and lies over the surface I6 so that it may be moved to any desiredposition with respect thereto.

While the invention has been described with reference to the specificstructures shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limitedsave as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A countersham comprising side rails, a supporting surface comprising aplurality of supporting elements, one of which is secured to one of theside rails and the other of which is secured to the other of said rails,the elements each extending laterally of its respective rail, at leastone bracket carried by one of said rails and closely underlying thesupporting element carried by the same rail, and at least one bracketcarried by the other of said rails spaced from and extendingsubstantiallly parallel to the supporting element carried by the samerail to adjustably receive and support the laterally extending portionof the other of the supporting elements, the brackets underlying both ofthe supporting elements to reinforce the same.

REGINALD SENTENNE.

